Self development

Guest post on Health coaching.

Even though I’m studying Health coaching I wanted to get the perspective of someone who is practicing it. I’ve included Tara’s details and I highly recommend checking out her blog feedmeblog.com, but for now have a read about what a new wave of coaches are offering.

What is health and lifestyle coaching?

If you wanted to take your sport to new heights, you’d get a coach, right?
Well, funnily enough, the same theory applies to all areas of your life. Want to take your business to the next level and find business success? A business coach or mentor seems like a pretty reasonable next step, right? Or perhaps you want to master a lifelong hobby or musical instrument? A coach or some form of an instructor would be your best bet to really learn how to be your very best at what you want to do.

Whilst each of the above scenarios seems somewhat acceptable and ‘normal’ in our society, it is the new concept of ‘Health and Lifestyle Coaching’ which seems to take a few people by surprise and evoke some genuine curiosity into what it all might be about. Essentially, the exact same theory applies. Our health and lifestyle is one of our greatest assets and something that will always dictate how well we perform in sport, business or any other area of our life. So it is only natural that we should want to nurture it and strive to take our health and lifestyle to new soaring heights so we can feel our very best. Health and Lifestyle Coaching is essentially the support that you need as an individual to that.

Our physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing combined with the lifestyle we choose to live, can either support us in achieving our daily goals or slowly deplete us over a set period of time. Health and lifestyle coaching gives you the one on one support that you need to get you from where you are (in your physical, mental and emotional health) to where you want to be.
So what might a session with a health and lifestyle coach involve? Firstly, it is important to note here that whilst the food we eat is critical to our overall health, the other areas that make up our life (known as our primary food) are just as important. These include our exercise routine, relationships, career, spirituality, creativity, social life, education, finances, and so on. Each of these areas of our life can have a significant impact on what we eat, when we eat and our own perceptions of food. So in order for a health and lifestyle coach to obtain a good understanding about your lifestyle, your goals and your current experiences, the first few sessions will often always involve discussion on how to increase contentment in all areas of your life, in order to set a good foundation for your overall nutrition goals.

Health and lifestyle coaching also encourages you to get intimate with what makes you feel alive, the habits you are holding on to, and the fears and insecurities that are perhaps keeping you from being the healthiest and happiest version of yourself. I like to think of a Health and Lifestyle Coach as your own personal cheerleader and support, as you learn how to develop the self-worth, self-respect and self-love that is needed to make nourishing choices in all areas of your life on a long-term basis.

Sometimes Health and Lifestyle Coaching can be confused with the services provided by say a nutritionist or even a counsellor. And it is important to note here that all three are very different, and coaching is never to be considered a replacement for the other two. Health and Lifestyle Coaching is designed to support you one-on-one as you put the various instructions and guidance you seek from a nutritionist or counsellor, into action. Whereby a nutritionist will put together a specific plan for your dietary needs, the role of a coach is designed to work together with nutritionists in that we can assist the client in finding motivation, putting guidance into action, and moving past any of the resistance that one might face when transitioning into a new, healthier stage of their life. A coach may also assist the client to view food as more than just a source of fuel, and help them gain some clarity around what way of eating is best for them. Bio-individuality is a key part of coaching, and essentially advocates that there is no one way of eating that fits everybody, and we must all be in tune to what works best for us individually.
Similarly, when a client is facing certain challenges with anxiety, depression or any other mental challenges, a counsellor or psychologist is trained to help the client explore these challenges and move forward. A coach in this instance can also help to provide the client with various techniques and motivational resources to help keep them looking forward and following through with the guidance they have previously sought.

Health and Lifestyle Coaching bridges the gap between traditional health and healing, and the client themselves. We are the middle-man providing clients with unconditional support, inspiration, and empowerment to take their health into their own hands. Coaching creates a space for clients to share their struggles, own up to their fears and be heard in a calm, safe, welcoming space by someone who can relate to their struggles and can give them the one-on-one attention they need to make their new health and lifestyle stick! Because at the end of the day, we are all chasing the very same goal, and that is to feel our very best, as often as we possibly can; and essentially that is the primary goal of every Health and Lifestyle Coach – to help you feel good in all areas of your life, forever!

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Published by jarrodowen

I'm a Fire fighter based in Queensland, Australia with a background in personal training. I've studied health coaching along with a diploma in fitness and my aim is to find balance in life through holistic practices and self exploration. The purpose of this blog is to share my journey and knowledge to facilitate others in finding health, happiness and fulfilment in life. With the constant thought of how the simple things in life can often be the best.
"Simplicity is the key to brilliance" -Bruce lee.
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